Apparatus for removing snow from pitched roofs

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for removing snow from pitched roofs, comprising an upwardly projecting barrier disposed near the bottom edge of the roof and extending parallel thereto, which stops snow from sliding off the roof. On the upper side of the barrier is a channel and downspout to drain off melted snow. the bottom of the channel protrudes down into the interior of the building, where it is warmed by the interior heat, and the downspout is also disposed within the interior. On the lower side of the channel, the barrier is formed with a full-length enclosure which has an opening to the interior of the building, so that warm air from inside the building can rise into the enclosure and warm the barrier to melt snow. The melted snow then runs off through the channel and downspout.

waited States atent Bernardi APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SNOW FROM PITCHED ROOFS Primary ExaminerCarroll B: Dority Assistant Examiner-Peter D. Ferguson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Herbert E. Kidder [57] ABSTRAQT Apparatus for removing snow from pitched roofs, comprising an upwardly projecting barrier disposed near the bottom edge of the roof and extending parallel thereto, which stops snow from sliding off the roof. On the upper side of the barrier is a channel and downspout to drain off melted snow. the bottom of the channel protrudes down into the interior of the building, where it is warmed by the interior heat, and the downspout is also disposed within the interior. On the lower side of the channel, the barrier is formed with a full-length enclosure which has an opening to the interior of the building, so that warm air from inside the building can rise into the enclosure and warm the barrier to melt snow. The melted snow then runs off through the channel and downspout.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SNOW FROM PITCHIED ROOFS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention pertains to apparatus for removing snow accumulated on the sloping side of a pitched roof, and to prevent the formation of icicles hanging from the edge of the roof.

This invention is an improvement on my earlier snow removal apparatus, which is shown and described in US. Pat. No. 3,431,972. In the apparatus of the said patent, there is an upwardly projecting barrier adjacent the lower edge of the roof and extending parallel thereto which stops the snow from sliding off the roof. A longitudinally extending heating element is provided on the upper side of the barrier to melt the snow, and this element may take the form of a hot water pipe or electrical resistance element. The water from the melted snow runs into a gutter at the bottom edge of the roof, and runs off through a downspout extending down to the ground on the outside of the building.

I have found that there are certain drawbacks to the apparatus of the said patent. For one thing, the heating system is expensive in terms of materials used and labor for installation. Moreover, the heating system is expensive to operate because the heating pipe or resistance element is completely exposed, and therefore consumes a great deal of energy that is wasted to the atmosphere, and radiated to the sky. In the case of the electrical resistance heating element, the home owner may forget to shut off the current at the end of the winter season, with the result that a great deal of energy is wasted. Another disadvantage of the prior apparatus is that the exposed heating pipe, or element, is subject to corrosion. There is also danger that, in that event of failure of the heating system, water may freeze in the gutter and downspout, as both are mounted on the outside of the building where they are fully exposed to the elements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary objectof the present invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for removing accumulated snow from the slope of a pitched roof, which has none of the drawbacks described above. The advantageous feature of the invention is that it prevents the fall of snow avalanches, or icicles, from the roof to the ground below, with possible injury to persons or damage to property.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a snow removal apparatus of the type described that utilizes the internal heat of the building to heat the snow-melting barrier, and to warm the downspout and the bottom of the gutter, so that water will not freeze in them.

These objects are achieved in the present invention by providing a barrier of channel profile, the flange on the lower side of which is considerably higher than the one on the upper side. The channel is recessed into the roof in a water-tight manner, with at least a portion of the outer inferior surface of the channel protruding into the interior of the building so that it is exposed to the internal building heat and is kept warm thereby. The upper flange of the channel is faired into the roof sheathing, so that there is no obstacle to any snow or water flowing down the slope of the roof into the channel. The channel-profiled barrier of the present invention is mounted on the roof closely adjacent the intersection of said roof with an outside main wall of the building, and the downspout passes down through the building in the interior thereof. Thus, both the bottom of the channel and the downspout are warmed by the internal heat of the building, and ice is prevented from forming therein. The barrier flange on the down-hill side of the channel is formed with an enclosure that extends the full length of the device, and there is an opening from the interior of the building to the interior of said enclosure, so that warm air from the inside of the building rises into the interior of the enclosure and warms the barrier, to melt the snow.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a part of a building roof having the apparatus of the invention embodied therein;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken at IIII in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view through the building and the apparatus of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing the separate components which go to make up the barrier of the invention.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates the roof gutter of a building, whose outside main wall is indicated at 4.

The roof is composed of sloping rafters 6, which have transverse boards 5 nailed to the top sides thereof, said boards being covered with a water-tight and insulating sheathing 9, of sheet metal or other sheet material, instead of shingles.

The barrier of the present invention is indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 3, and has a channelled cross section, with side flanges of noticeably different height. As shown in FIG. 3, the barrier 3 is recessed into the sloping side of the roof adjacent the junction of the outer wall with the roof, and at least a portion of its outer inferior surface protrudes into the interior of the building, where it is exposed to the internal heat of the building and is warmed thereby. The barrier 3 extends parallel to the bottom edge of the sloping roof, and the taller flange is on the downhill side of the channel, while the shorter. flange is on the uphill side. The shorter flange is bent towards the incline of the roof, and its upper edge is inserted under the sheathing 9.

In FIG. I, it will be observed that the barrier 3 is bent at an obtuse angle in the plane of the roof, and the vertex of this angle communicates with a downspout 2. The melted snow water runs horizontally along the sides of siad obtuse angle and drains off to the exterior through the downspout 2. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, substantially the whole length of the drain pipe 2 is disposed within the interior of the building and, if desired, the melted snow can be run out into the sewage system of the building.

In the preferred embodiment shown herein, the barrier 3 is made up of the components 7 and 8, which are pressed out of sheet metal or any other suitable material. If the sheathing 9 of the roof consists of sheet metal or other material, then a flat strip 80 is soldered or otherwise solidly fixed to the top surface of component 8 on the right, or uphill side, of the channel, with the lower edge of strip 8a overhanging the channel. Sheathing 9 overlies the strip 8, and its bottom edge is bent down around and under the protruding lower edge of strip 881, and is made water-tight with respect 12 is pinched together on the bottom edge of the inclined portion of barrier 3, and is made water-tight with respect thereto. Member 7 cooperates with the three sides formed by the higher flange of barrier 3 to form an enclosed chamber l3, which serves both as an insulating interspace for the channel 8 of the barrier 3, and as a support for the higher flange of the barrier by propping the same against the incline of the roof.

A slit 11 is provided between the inner edge of member 7 and the outer, or downhill flange of channel 8. Slit 11 also includes a gap in the roof board 5, so that the interior space of the building is thus open to the chamber 11. In this way, warm air from the interior of the building is allowed to rise through slit 1 1 into chamber 13, where it warms the side walls of the higher flange, including the downhill side wall of the channel 8 (see FIG. 3). The warmed barrier 3 melts the accumulated snow piled up against it, and the melted snow runs along the gutter and down the downspout 2. The bottom of the gutter channel 8, and the uphill side thereof are also directly exposed to the warm air in the interior of the building, so that they are heated by the internal heat of the building. Ice and snow are thus prevented from accumulating in the warmed gutter channel. Downspout 2 is likewise warmed by the internal heat of the building, and thus is prevented from freezing up. The roof rafters 6 have notches cut into their top sides to receive the gutter channel 8, as best shown in FIG. 3.

If the roof is covered with shingles, instead of with a sheet 9, said shingles would be laid so as to cover the uphill superior edge of the channel 8.

While I have shown and described in considerable detail what I believe to be the preferred form of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention might take various other forms within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for removing snow from the pitched roof of a building having outer walls, and a source of internal heat, said apparatus comprising: I

a barrier mounted on the sloping side of the roof near the bottom edge thereof and extending parallel to said bottom edge, said barrier being disposed inside the area enclosed by said outer walls;

said barrier including a drainage channel recessed below the plane of the roof and having a relatively high side wall on the downhill side, projecting above the plane of the roof;

said barrier also including a relatively low side wall on the uphill side of said channel, which is disposed below the plane of the roof;

said relatively high side wall of said barrier being formed to provide a hollow chamber that is closed on the top and sides thereof;

means for allowing internal heat of the building to enter said chamber and warm said barrier, so as to melt accumulated snow and ice lying against said barrier; and

a downspout for carrying away the water in said drainage channel produced by melting of the snow and ice.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said drainage channel of said barrier is recessed into the roof so that at least a portion of the underside of the channel protrudes into the interior of the building and is exposed directly to the internal heat of the building, whereby the channel is warmed to the extent that ice is prevented from forming in the channel.

3. Apparatus as in claim l,'wherein said downspout is located within the interior of the building where it is exposed directly to the internal heat of the building and is warmed thereby.

4. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said roof has an opening formed therein, through which warm air from the inside of the building rises into said hollow chamber where it warms said barrier.

5. Apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said roof has an opening formed therein into which said channel is recessed, said opening communicating with the interior of said hollow chamber so that warm air from the inside of the building rises into said hollow chamber, where it warms said barrier.

6. Apparatus as in claim 5, wherein said downspout is located within the interiorof the building where it is exposed directly to the internal heat of the building and is warmed thereby.

7. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said barrier is formed of sheet metal, and said high side wall on the downhill side of said drainage channel is formed by bending the sheet metal to provide a first portion extending upwardly substantially perpendicular to the plane of the roof; a second narrower portion generally parallel to the plane of the roof; and a third portion inclined downwardly at an acute angle to the surface of the roof; the bottom edge of said third portion bearing against the roof surface to prop the barrier against-the roof.

8. Apparatus as in claim 7, wherein the bottom edge of said third portion is secured to one edge of a strip lying generally flat against the roof and forming a bottom wall for said hollow chamber, the other edge of said strip being spaced laterally from said first portion so as to provide a slot through which warm air from the interior of the building rises into the hollow chamber. 

1. Apparatus for removing snow from the pitched roof of a building having outer walls, and a source of internal heat, said apparatus comprising: a barrier mounted on the sloping side of the roof near the bottom edge thereof and extending parallel to said bottom edge, said barrier being disposed inside the area enclosed by said outer walls; said barrier including a drainage channel recessed below the plane of the roof and having a relatively high side wall on the downhill side, projecting above the plane of the roof; said barrier also including a relatively low side wall on the uphill side of said channel, which is disposed below the plane of the roof; said relatively high side wall of said barrier being formed to provide a hollow chamber that is closed on the top and sides thereof; means for allowing internal heat of the building to enter said chamber and warm said barrier, so as to melt accumulated snow and ice lying against said barrier; and a downspout for carrying away the water in said drainage channel produced by melting of the snow and ice.
 2. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said drainage channel of said barrier is recessed into the roof so that at least a portion of the underside of the channel protrudes into the interior of the building and is exposed directly to the internal heat of the building, whereby the channel is warMed to the extent that ice is prevented from forming in the channel.
 3. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said downspout is located within the interior of the building where it is exposed directly to the internal heat of the building and is warmed thereby.
 4. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said roof has an opening formed therein, through which warm air from the inside of the building rises into said hollow chamber where it warms said barrier.
 5. Apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said roof has an opening formed therein into which said channel is recessed, said opening communicating with the interior of said hollow chamber so that warm air from the inside of the building rises into said hollow chamber, where it warms said barrier.
 6. Apparatus as in claim 5, wherein said downspout is located within the interior of the building where it is exposed directly to the internal heat of the building and is warmed thereby.
 7. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said barrier is formed of sheet metal, and said high side wall on the downhill side of said drainage channel is formed by bending the sheet metal to provide a first portion extending upwardly substantially perpendicular to the plane of the roof; a second narrower portion generally parallel to the plane of the roof; and a third portion inclined downwardly at an acute angle to the surface of the roof; the bottom edge of said third portion bearing against the roof surface to prop the barrier against the roof.
 8. Apparatus as in claim 7, wherein the bottom edge of said third portion is secured to one edge of a strip lying generally flat against the roof and forming a bottom wall for said hollow chamber, the other edge of said strip being spaced laterally from said first portion so as to provide a slot through which warm air from the interior of the building rises into the hollow chamber. 